A yoga heat wave: Bikram yoga can help you turn up the heat during winter

American Fitness, Nov-Dec, 2003 by Emily Motsay

The art of yoga triggers many images. A still woman sitting cross-legged, hands slightly raised, fingertips lightly pressed together and eyes closed. A man bending his slender body into a position impossible for all but the most nimble. The gentle music of wind chimes or soft whisper of namaste (i.e., peace) drifting in the air. Now, push those gentle images from your mind. Attending one Bikram yoga class will completely distort them.

A Healing Purpose

Bikram yoga, commonly known as "hot yoga," builds physical and mental strength, balance and flexibility. With roots in hatha yoga, it was originally created to heal. Bikram Choudhury, a life-long yoga practitioner and Yoga College of India founder, developed Bikram yoga after he was injured in a weightlifting accident. The healing benefits he discovered have attracted many to this yoga form and convinced them to continue practicing it.

For example, Tim Johnson, owner of a Bikram studio in Denver, Colorado, began practicing Bikram yoga as part of physical therapy to heal knee injuries caused by years of skiing for the United States Olympic team. Six weeks of devoted practice revealed Bikram's "holistic" benefits. His knees began to feel better and other pains he had attributed to the wear and tear of age began to disappear.

According to Johnson, Bikram's repetitive nature--90 minutes, 26 poses, twice each--lends it to medical testing, whereas other yoga forms are more difficult to study because they are practiced in varying and changing ways. In fact, Choudhury developed his practice with the help of scientists at the University of Tokyo University Hospital, who proved its medical benefits, which include regenerating tissues and helping cure chronic ailments. These findings were presented at the 1972 International Medical Conference. Bikram is said to affect the body internally--certain poses work pressure points and use the tourniquet effect to push fresh, oxygenated blood through the body, replenishing cells and flushing toxins.

Instructors, yogis and Choudhury tout Bikram's abundant physical benefits, which may include:

* more defined muscle tone

* weight management

* injury recovery

* if improved spinal health, lung capacity, circulation, skeletal posture and nervous system

* increased flexibility, energy, stamina and metabolism

*elimination of unwanted toxins

* skin revitalization

* regulated blood cholesterol

* restful steep

* muscle tension release

* vitality

* flushed lymphatic system

* stronger immune system,

With the heart working to hold each pose 10 to 60 seconds, Bikram also provides cardiovascular benefits. Accompanying lifestyle changes, including stress reduction, increased body awareness, sense of acceptance and appreciation for relaxation, further enhance the physical benefits of regular Bikram practice. Now, that sounds like yoga.

Bikram Basics

Bikram students, called yogis, spend 90 minutes working through 26 postures in a room heated approximately 105 degrees. The heated room is intended to resemble the climate of India, where Choudhury developed his practice. The heat allows muscles to stretch more deeply and speeds blood circulation to help the body flush toxins.

A Bikram class begins with students waiting for the instructor in a dimly lit room. When the teacher enters and turns on bright lights, the students rise, face a wall of floor-to-ceiling mirrors and follow the teacher's gently spoken instructions. While students work through the 26 poses, the first

The Source

For more information on Bikram's Yoga College of India[TM], visit www.bikramyoga.com.

Another Approach to Hatha Yoga

AFAA's Yoga Instructor Certification program was developed specifically for fitness professionals by Fitness Resource Associates (FRA). This affordable, non-residential program, offered in your area, combines state-of-the-art teaching and learning methods with cutting edge online education technology. It approaches hatha yoga on its own terms without losing sight of the fitness community's need to uphold physical safety and population appropriateness. The program consists of two weekend meetings (40 hours total) separated by a six-week learning tutorial which includes group and private practice, class observation, self-reflection, focused study and instructor feedback in yoga philosophy and Western anatomy. Participants learn to develop skills and confidence in the teaching role through supervised practice and constant group support. The program culminates with written and practical examinations.

For more information, call (800) 225-2322 or visit www.afaa.com. half standing and the other on the floor, they are encouraged to concentrate on their breathing technique. According to Bikram teachings, focusing on the breath helps yogis meditate as they practice. In Bikram, meditation is not a religious expression, but a state in which the breath, body and mind work as one to optimize yoga's physical and mental effects.

During the first sessions, yogis not only learn poses, but also a new language as instructors use the poses' Sanskrit and English names. An explanation of each pose's benefits follows. The series begins with Pranayama or "Standing Deep Breathing," which enhances mental relaxation, aids with sleep disorders, irritability and maintaining blood pressure. The class continues through Bikram's 26 postures, including Uttkatasana or "Awkward Pose" (a three-part pose that relieves sciatica, opens the chest and pelvic area, aligns the back, helps arthritic knees, strengthens quadriceps and alleviates joint pain), Dandayarnana Dhanurasana or "Standing Bow Pulling Pose" (which increases circulation to the heart and lungs, improves spinal elasticity, regulates the menstrual cycle and helps relieve lower back pain) and Ustrasana or "Camel Pose" (which opens the chest, strengthens the shoulders and back, stimulates the nervous system and improves neck and spinal flexibility). Between each pose, yogis rest in Savasana, a welcomed chance to completely relax the body and mind.